Fruit-crate.



No. 759,633. PATENTBD MAY 10, 1904.

- T. P. REED.

FRUIT CRATE.

nrmouron FILED JULY 2a, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

ttcknugm UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRUIT-"CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Le t s Patent No. 759,633, dated May 10, 1904.

Application filed July 29, 1903. Serial No. 167,515. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. REED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Enid, in the county of Garfield and Territory oi Oklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Crates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fruit-crates; and the object of the same is to construct a crate for use in shipping citrous fruit, which crate will be well ventilated and especially adapted to display the fruit at the stand and will be of great strength and durability, so it can be returned and refilled and can be secured without nails and opened by hand.

The novel construction employed in Gil-IT,- ing out my invention is fully described in this specification, and more particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of my crate arranged to support a pile of fruit to enable it to be exhibited to the best ad vantage. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of my crate closed. Fig. 3 is a like view of my crate open. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one head.

Like numerals of reference designate like parts in the different views of the drawings.

The numeral 1 designates a solid hexagonal head, of which two are employed in the construction oi the crate. The head 1 has cleats 2, firmly attached to the inner face thereof and located flush with the edges 1 and in alinement therewith. The alternate cleats 2 are made a little shorter, so as to form a rim 3 with three gaps 3 therein in the alternate angles of the rim.

The heads 1 are set in axial alinement with each other with their edges 1 parallel and correspondingin pairs. The periphery or wall of the crate is formed of alternately-arranged solid sections or panels 4 and flexible panels 5. The sections 4 are rigidly attached to the innor faces of the cleats 2 of the rim 3, while the panels 5 are constructed of parallel spaced slats 6 and flexible bands 7, secured to each slat by means of suitable tacks or staples and attached at one end to the free edges 5*of the panels a, which lie adjacent to the gaps 3 in the rim By this arrangement the panels 5 are hinged and are therefore free to swing inwardly unless some means is supplied for securing their free sides. For this cords or wires 6 are provided, which pass through apertures near the edges of the sections t and have free ends, which are looped around the first slat 5 of the panel 5.

The panels 5 pass through the gaps 3 in the rim, which form guides for said panels and enable them to be drawn back into the position shown in Fig. 3.

To fill the crate with oranges, all of the panels 5 are first slid through the breaks 3 in the rim 3 and all but one secured by means of the cordsG. is set in the position shown in Fig. 3, just engaging the guides 3. Fruit can then be packed in the box until it is filled, after which the open panel 5 can be secured by means or the cord 6.

To exhibit Fruit at the stand, the crate is turned with one of the panels 5 up and the panel then united and slid rearwardly through the guides 3 and then extended horizontally and is propped with a slat 7', having inclined ends. One end of the slat 7 is footed on the adjacent panel 4, while the other bears on the slat 5 on the outer free edge of the panel 5. The panel 5, supported in this manner, forms a bracket, which serves as a shelf for supporting fruit for exhibition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A crate of the character described, consisting of heads having rims secured to their inner sides, along the edges thereof, with grooves opening therethrough, at alternate angles of said heads, and alternating slatted and solid panels, the latter being secured to certain of said rims and the former being flexibly connected to said solid panels and resting upon certain others of said rims and adapted to he slid through said slots and suitably upheld, as when improvised into a shelf.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS P. REED.

Witnesses:

O. HAMLIN, F. S. WHEELER.

The free panel is turned up and 

